Concentration  and 
Meditation 


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THE    VEDANTA    CENTRE 
1  Queensberry  Street,  Boston,  Mass.,  U.  S.  A. 


Concentration  anb 
/Ifcebttation 


BY 
SWAMI   PARAMANANDA 

AUTHOR    OF    "SOUL'S    SECRET    DOOR," 
"THE  WAY  OF  PEACE  AND  BLESSEDNESS," 
''REINCARNATION  AND  IMMORTALITY,"  ETC. 


THIRD   EDITION 

REVISED    AND    ENLARGED 


PUBLISHED    BY 

THE  VEDANTA  CENTRE 

BOSTON    .    MASS    .    U    .    S    .    A 


Reprinted  from  the  Vedanta  Monthly 

"THE  MESSAGE  OF  THE  EAST" 
Copyright  1912,  1916,  1917  and  1921  by  Swami  Paramananda 

PRINTED    IN    U.  S.  A. 


501S533 


CONTENTS 

Page  No. 

I.  CONCENTRATION   7 

II.  MEDITATION _ -.  19 

III.  AIDS  TO  MEDITATION  33 

IV.  SUPERCONSCIOUS  VISION  49 

V.    PRACTICAL  HINTS  ..._ „ 64 

a.  Fixity  of  Purpose 64 

b.  Practice  of  Concentration  66 

c.  Methods  of  Meditation   ..  72 


I. 

CONCENTRATION 

E  all  possess  the  faculty  of  concen- 
tration, but  with  the  majority  it  is 
instinctive  and  automatic,  not  conscious. 
Even  among  the  animals  we  see  how  a 
lion  or  tiger  will  gather  his  strength  by  a 
moment  of  absolute  stillness  before  he 
springs  upon  his  prey ;  that  automatic,  in- 
stinctive power  of  concentration  is  em- 
bedded in  every  living  creature.  But  un- 
til we  can  gain  conscious  command  over 
our  mental  and  spiritual  forces,  we  can 
never  have  complete  concentration.  When 
the  scattered  mind  is  gathered  together  it 
is  like  a  bright  searchlight,  and  by  it  man 
is  able  to  investigate  the  latent  powers 
which  he  possesses  but  of  which  he  is  not 
now  wholly  aware.  As  he  grows  more 
conscious  of  these  hidden  forces  and 
learns  to  use  them,  he  becomes  more  and 
more  proficient. 


8        Concentration  and  Meditation 

We  never  wish  to  be  defeated  and  yet 
how  often  our  strength  of  mind  or  our 
physical  capacities  prove  inadequate.  It 
is  because  we  have  not  the  full  and  con- 
scious possession  of  our  whole  being. 
Man  cannot  achieve  much  unless  he  has 
free  use  of  his  hands  and  feet,  free  use  of 
his  eyes  and  ears,  free  use  of  his  muscles 
and  above  all  free  use  of  his  mind  and  in- 
telligence. But  how  many  of  us  have  the 
free  use  of  all  these?  When  we  would 
make  use  of  them  we  find  them  hopelessly 
scattered  and  rebellious  to  our  will.  The 
cause  of  this  does  not  lie  in  any  inherent 
lack  of  power,  but  in  our  inability  to  co- 
ordinate, and  in  our  lack  of  definite  one- 
pointed  purpose.  We  miss  the  mark  be- 
cause we  do  not  set  our  aim  properly. 

Once  in  ancient  India  there  was  a 
tournament  held  to  test  marksmanship  in 
archery.  A  wooden  fish  was  set  up  on  a 
high  pole  and  the  eye  of  the  fish  was  the 
target.  One  by  one  many  valiant  princes 


Concentration 


came  and  tried  their  skill  but  in  vain. 
Before  each  one  shot  his  arrow  the  teacher 
asked  him  what  he  saw  and  invariably  all 
replied  that  they  saw  a  fish  on  a  pole  at  a 
great  height,  with  head,  eyes,  etc.;  but 
Arjuna  as  he  took  his  aim  said:  "I  see  the 
eye  of  the  fish,"  and  he  was  the  only  one 
who  succeeded  in  hitting  the  mark. 

A  similar  incident  is  given  by  the 
Chinese  sage,  Chuang-Tzu:  "The  man 
who  forged  swords  for  the  Minister  of  War 
was  eighty  years  of  age.  Yet  he  never 
made  the  slightest  slip  in  his  work.  The 
Minister  of  War  said  to  him:  'Is  it  your 
skill,  sir,  or  have  you  any  method?'  'It  is 
concentration,'  replied  the  man.  'When 
twenty  years  old,  I  took  to  forging  swords. 
I  cared  for  nothing  else.  If  a  thing  was 
not  a  sword,  I  did  not  notice  it.  I  availed 
myself  of  whatever  energy  I  did  not  use  in 
other  directions  in  order  to  secure  greater 
efficiency  in  the  direction  required.' ' 


10      Concentration  and  Meditation 

Concentration  means  wholeness,  unity, 
equilibrium.  The  hands,  feet,  mind,  all 
our  members  and  faculties  must  be  uni- 
fied. They  must  all  work  in  harmony,  in 
tranquillity  and  balance.  Balance  is 
needed  everywhere  in  life.  A  man  may  be 
over-active  or  he  may  be  idle ;  both  indi- 
cate absence  of  self-adjustment.  Sri 
Krishna  declares  in  the  Gita :  "O  Arjuna, 
the  practice  of  Yoga  is  not  for  him  who 
eats  too  much  or  who  does  not  eat  at  all, 
nor  for  him  who  sleeps  too  much  or  who 
keeps  awake  in  excess.  He  who  is  mod- 
erate in  eating  and  recreation,  moderate 
in  his  efforts  in  work,  moderate  in  sleep 
and  wakefulness,  his  practice  of  Yoga 
destroys  all  misery."  What  does  this 
signify?  That  he  who  goes  to  extremes 
is  a  slave  of  impulse,  he  is  not  the  master. 
He  lacks  balance  and  lack  of  balance 
means  lack  of  strength  and  without 
strength  no  great  work  can  be  accom- 
plished. If  on  the  contrary  we  practise 


Concentration  11 

moderation  or  equilibrium  even  in  our 
most  ordinary  daily  tasks,  we  shall  see 
how  steady  will  be  our  gain  in  concentra- 
tion. 

The  practice  of  moderation  necessitates 
a  certain  amount  of  self-discipline.  The 
Hindus  call  this  Tapas,  which  literally 
means  "fire"  or  "heat,"  and  they  believe 
that  unless  this  fire  of  self-discipline  is 
lighted  in  order  to  burn  to  ashes  all  the 
impurities  and  limitations  of  our  system, 
spiritual  illumination  will  be  impossible. 
But  here  too  extremes  must  be  avoided. 
Often  people  through  misunderstanding 
or  over-enthusiasm  torture  and  strain 
themselves  in  the  hope  of  advancing  more 
rapidly,  but  they  defeat  their  own  end. 
Excessive  penance  or  mortification  is  as 
harmful  as  self-indulgence.  The  purpose 
of  all  discipline  is  to  make  our  constitution 
more  enduring,  more  adaptable  and  more 
responsive.  Body  and  mind  must  be 
made  wholly  obedient  to  the  will  and  in- 
dependent of  external  circumstances. 


12      Concentration  and  Meditation 

The  person  who  is  a  slave  to  physical 
comforts  should  gradually  eliminate  all 
that  is  superfluous  and  train  himself  to  be 
content  with  the  bare  necessities.  Any 
one  who  finds  it  difficult  to  overcome 
physical  lethargy  and  rise  early  in  the 
morning  should  drag  himself  out  of  bed 
by  sheer  force  of  will.  One  who  is  in- 
clined to  over-eating  should  by  degrees 
reduce  the  quantity  of  his  food.  A  person 
who  has  the  habit  of  talking  unnecessarily 
should  practise  stillness  by  persistent  con- 
trol of  all  useless  motions.  Such  practices 
not  only  increase  our  power  of  concentra- 
tion and  meditation,  but  do  much  to  im- 
prove our  bodily  health  and  make  us 
happier  in  every  way. 

The  mind  falls  naturally  into  three 
general  states : — the  dull  state ;  the  over- 
active  or  scattered  state;  and  the  calm, 
centred  state.  These  correspond  to  the 
three  Gunas  or  qualities  of  matter,  called 
in  Sanskrit  Tamas,  Rajas  and  Sattwa. 


Concentration  13 

They  are  innate  in  every  living  being  and 
manifest  in  the  human  mind  as  the  sub- 
conscious, the  conscious  and  the  super- 
conscious.  The  first  quality  is  that  of 
darkness,  inertia,  heaviness,  the  brute 
state.  When  the  mind  is  overcome  by 
this  quality,  it  lacks  in  power  to  differen- 
tiate between  right  and  wrong  and  is  eas- 
ily carried  away  by  lower  animal  passions. 
The  second  quality  is  that  of  excessive 
ambition,  egotism,  arrogance  and  discon- 
tent. When  this  quality  is  in  ascendancy, 
a  man  is  consumed  by  feverish  unrest  and 
an  irresistible  desire  to  multiply  posses- 
sions and  to  entangle  himself  more  and 
more  in  external  undertakings.  His 
energies  are  scattered  and  often  wasted. 
No  matter  how  much  he  achieves,  he  is 
never  satisfied ;  for  the  flame  of  his  desire 
mounts  with  each  new  gratification  as  a 
fire  fed  by  fresh  fuel.  With  the  quality  of 
Sattwa  the  mind  grows  collected,  serene 
and  illumined.  This  is  the  fitting  state 


14      Concentration  and  Meditation 

for  spiritual  attainment.  In  order  to 
reach  it  the  condition  of  dullness  or  in- 
ertia must  be  conquered  by  stimulating 
all  the  physical  and  mental  activities. 
Then  these  activities  must  be  regulated 
and  directed  until  they  are  focused.  The 
sub-conscious  must  be  brought  into  com- 
plete subjection  to  the  conscious  and  the 
conscious  must  be  expanded  into  the 
superconscious.  This  is  the  natural 
process  in  acquiring  the  power  of  concen- 
tration and  meditation. 

Meditation  is  inseparable  from  concen- 
tration. When  the  mind  has  gained  its 
full  strength  through  singleness,  it  natur- 
ally becomes  meditative.  Often  the  mind 
is  compared  to  a  lake.  If  the  surface  is 
absolutely  smooth — not  a  ripple — then  we 
can  see  clearly  what  lies  beneath.  Simi- 
larly when  this  mind  becomes  calm,  when 
the  wind  of  uncontrolled  desire  does  not 
constantly  create  ripples  over  the  surface 
of  it,  then  the  image  of  our  true  nature  is 


Concentration  15 

not  broken  and  we  obtain  a  perfect  reflec- 
tion of  what  we  are  in  reality  and  what  our 
relation  is  with  the  Supreme  Intelligence. 
As  long  as  the  mind  is  agitated,  so  long 
our  vision  can  never  be  unerring.  We  are 
constantly  hoping  that  some  one  else  may 
give  us  knowledge  and  happiness,  but  that 
is  not  possible.  These  can  only  come 
from  within. 

What  we  need  is  to  be  active  spiritually. 
As  we  go  on  living  our  outer  life,  we  must 
devote  some  time  each  day  to  making  our 
mind  introspective,  that  we  may  develop 
our  subtler  powers  of  perception.  In  all 
investigations  certain  instruments  are 
necessary,  as  we  see  scientists  inventing 
finer  and  finer  instruments  for  their  re- 
searches. Also  for  spiritual  observation 
we  need  a  form  of  mind  which  can  discern 
the  subtler  things  imperceptible  to  our 
ordinary  sense  faculties.  The  concen- 
trated mind  is  such  an  instrument  and  the 
only  one  fitted  for  higher  research.  It  is 


16      Concentration  and  Meditation 

like  a  focused  light.  We  know  that  when 
light  is  dissipated  we  cannot  see  well,  but 
when  the  scattered  rays  are  brought  to- 
gether by  the  help  of  a  shade  or  reflector, 
then  everything  grows  distinct.  So  will 
the  hidden  powers  of  the  universe  be  re- 
vealed to  us  when  through  determined  and 
steadfast  practice  we  gather  up  the  pres- 
ent forces  of  our  mind,  which  is  now  weak 
only  because  it  is  disorganized  and 
divided. 

We  must  not  remain  content,  however, 
with  the  lower  forms  of  concentration. 
These  may  bring  us  physical  health,  pros- 
perity or  success,  because  concentration 
always  gives  power;  but  even  though  we 
acquire  more  wealth,  greater  honor  or  in- 
creased bodily  strength,  we  shall  find  that 
one  part  of  our  being  still  remains  unsat- 
isfied in  spite  of  all  our  worldly  acquisi- 
tions. Never  will  it  be  content  until  we 
awaken  and  begin  to  work  for  our  higher 
development.  Nor  should  such  work  be 


Concentration  17 

regarded  as  selfish,  because  all  human 
beings  are  bound  together  and  as  we  unfold 
our  own  spiritual  nature  we  cannot  fail  to 
benefit  others.  The  same  life  runs  through 
and  through  everywhere;  and  only  he 
who  can  seize  hold  of  that  subtle  spiritual 
being  hidden  in  every  heart,  will  know  how 
to  solve  the  riddle  of  this  human  existence 
for  himself  and  be  able  to  render  lasting 
help  to  his  fellow-men.  That  one  alone 
lives  happily  and  fearlessly.  Now  we  are 
fearful  because  so  many  things  are  hidden 
from  us:  we  fear  the  future  because  we 
do  not  know  what  the  future  may  bring ; 
we  fear  death  because  we  are  not  sure  what 
may  come  after.  For  this  reason  we  must 
learn  to  focus  the  mind  and  turn  it  within, 
then  by  its  brilliant  light  we  shall  under- 
stand all  things  and  attain  the  vision  of 
Truth. 

The  purpose  of  meditation  is  to  gain 
that  vision.  Nor  must  we  stop  until  we 
have  seen  by  direct  perception  our  true 


18      Concentration  and  Meditation 

Self  and  our  relation  with  the  Supreme. 
That  must  be  the  purpose  of  all  our  spirit- 
ual practice.  When  the  mind  becomes 
fixed  on  the  Supreme  Being,  when  through 
meditation  we  are  united  with  that  Power, 
then  we  have  fullness  of  vision.  This  is 
called  the  superconscious  state  or 
Samadhi.  As  we  concentrate  on  That 
which  is  All-Light,  the  darkness  of  mind 
and  body  will  vanish;  for  what  we  con- 
stantly think  upon,  that  we  become. 
There  is  only  one  Power,  one  Intelligence, 
one  Mind,  which  is  God,  and  our  mind  is 
nothing  but  a  reflex  of  that  Universal 
Mind.  As  it  works  separate  from  that 
Mind,  it  remains  unintelligent,  ignorant, 
powerless;  but  when  it  becomes  united 
with  It,  it  attains  a  state  of  complete 
illumination:  "After  having  attained 
which  no  other  gain  seems  greater ;  being 
established  wherein  man  is  not  over- 
whelmed even  by  great  sorrow." 


II. 

MEDITATION 

'HEN  the  mind  is  poised  and  well 
concentrated,  the  Supreme  Self  of 
man  becomes  visible.  At  other  times  we 
do  not  see  the  real  man  and  the  apparent 
man  thinks  himself  all  in  all.  The  Seer 
or  higher  Self  is  there,  but  we  are  not  con- 
scious of  it.  When,  however,  the  mind 
becomes  poised,  the  Self  appears  in  its  true 
state  and  we  do  not  have  to  make  any 
effort  to  perceive  it.  In  the  Mundaka- 
Upanishad  these  two  selves  of  man  are 
compared  to  two  birds  on  a  tree.  One  sits 
aloft,  calm,  serene,  immersed  in  its  own 
glory;  the  other  jumps  from  limb  to  limb, 
eating  the  sweet  and  bitter  fruits  of  the 
tree.  Each  time  it  tastes  a  bitter  fruit,  it 
looks  towards  the  other  bird  and  beholding 
it  calm,  contented,  shining,  its  grief 
passes  away. 


20      Concentration  and  Meditation 

So  long  as  there  is  any  disturbance  in 
our  mind,  we  cannot  get  the  vision  of  our 
true  Self.  All  these  waves — in  the  form 
of  selfishness,  ambition,  desires — must 
subside.  The  mind  must  be  made  one- 
pointed.  When  a  man  attains  this,  he 
sees  the  Self.  At  other  times  he  identifies 
himself  with  some  passing  adjunct  of 
mind  like  anger  or  jealousy  or  fear.  If 
we  analyze,  we  shall  see  that  when  any  one 
speaks  harshly  to  us,  the  word  is  first  out- 
side us,  then  it  enters  into  us  and  we  grow 
angry.  At  first  anger  and  we  are  sep- 
arate; then  we  become  one,  we  identify 
ourselves  with  it  and  we  suffer.  The  wise 
man,  however,  does  not  identify  himself 
with  these  states  or  modifications  of  mind 
and  body.  He  does  everything  like  other 
people,  —  eats,  sleeps,  works  —  but  his 
actions  differ  from  others  because  he 
knows  the  distinction  between  the  true 
Self  and  the  ego.  He  realizes  that  all 
these  outer  things  only  exist  because  the 


Meditation  21 


Self  is  behind  them  and  he  is  only  con- 
scious of  That,  so  he  goes  through  the 
various  experiences  of  life  without  being 
affected  by  them. 

As  long  as  we  identify  ourselves  with 
conditions,  we  suffer ;  but  when  we  cease 
to  identify  ourselves  with  these  passing 
conditions,  we  never  really  suffer.  At 
present  our  mind  is  going  in  many  direc- 
tions. We  must  turn  it  and  direct  it  to- 
wards a  fixed  goal.  We  must  train  it  to 
differentiate  itself  from  its  modifications. 
Now,  if  something  agreeable  happens,  we 
feel  pleasure;  if  something  disagreeable 
comes,  we  feel  pain.  But  this  pleasure 
and  pain  are  only  momentary ;  and  when 
in  both  we  can  keep  our  mind  steady,  we 
gain  lasting  concentration. 

The  mind  manifests  in  various  states. 
The  first  is  the  scattered  state  (Fikshipta) . 
In  this  state  the  thought  moves  hither  and 
thither  without  any  sense  of  responsibility. 
We  may  be  sitting  here,  but  our  mind  may 


22      Concentration  and  Meditation 

be  travelling  hundreds  of  miles  away.  So 
long  as  it  is  thus  wandering  and  scattered, 
the  Yogis  say,  we  can  never  accomplish 
anything ;  nor  can  we  hope  to  find  peace. 
Yet  it  is  only  a  state.  The  mind  is  not 
that,  it  merely  lacks  the  power  to  separate 
itself  from  the  conditions  which  have 
covered  it.  In  opposition  to  this  is  the 
state  of  dullness  or  slothfulness,  in  which 
the  mind  does  not  wish  to  exert  itself  in 
any  direction.  Not  that  there  is  no  de- 
sire. It  is  full  of  desires,  but  it  is  over- 
powered by  a  heaviness  which  keeps  it 
from  making  the  necessary  effort  to 
satisfy  them. 

Then  there  is  the  concentrated  state 
(Ekagra),  which  is  the  final  aim  of  Yoga. 
This  is  the  state  of  union,  for  the  power 
of  concentration  leads  to  union  or  com- 
munion with  God.  It  makes  us  one  with 
the  object  of  worship.  The  first  practice 
in  acquiring  this  concentrated  state  is  to 
hold  the  mind  to  one  point,  the  object  of 


Meditation  23 


our  search.  No  modification  must  be 
allowed  in  it.  When  we  have  accom- 
plished this,  if  we  can  then  hold  our 
thought  absolutely  steady  for  twelve  sec- 
onds, this  will  constitute  a  Dhyana  or 
meditation ;  and  twelve  of  these  will  give 
Samadhi.  That  is,  twelve  such  medita- 
tions will  bring  superconscious  vision.  So 
long  as  there  is  a  sense  of  division  in  the 
mind  and  we  are  struggling  to  concen- 
trate, there  cannot  be  meditation;  for 
meditation  means  a  state  of  collectiveness 
or  unity  of  thought.  At  present  our  mind 
is  in  constant  struggle.  It  will  not  obey ; 
but  we  must  make  it  obey.  We  have  in- 
dulged it  all  our  life  from  our  childhood ; 
now  when  we  try  to  make  it  obey  it  rebels. 
Therefore  our  practice  must  be  carried  on 
with  firmness  and  perseverance.  When 
the  mind  finds  that  we  will  not  obey  it, 
then  it  will  obey  us.  The  same  is  true  of 
the  body,  for  that  which  makes  both  body 
and  mind  act  is  Spirit. 


24      Concentration  and  Meditation 

Yoga  means  uniting  ourselves  with  the 
object  of  our  search.  It  also  means  dis- 
uniting the  mind  from  disturbing  influ- 
ences. Like  a  driver  who  restrains  his 
horses  and  makes  them  go  as  he  wills,  since 
otherwise  they  will  run  away  with  him,  so 
we  must  control  our  senses ;  for  the  senses 
are  like  horses,  the  mind  is  like  the  reins, 
and  only  by  holding  firmly  to  it  can  we 
keep  control  over  these  horses  of  our 
senses.  If  we  do  not,  they  will  drag  us 
away.  We  must  begin  by  fixing  our  mind 
on  our  Ideal.  At  first  we  may  have  to 
practise  fixing  it  on  some  picture  or  outer 
object.  But  this  external  concentration  is 
a  very  low  form.  It  is  better  to  have  some 
inner  Ideal.  If  we  can  hold  the  thought 
of  purity  or  of  some  pure  being  in  our 
mind,  while  that  is  there,  there  will  be  no 
room  for  impurity;  and  if  we  continue 
this  practice,  little  by  little  the  mind  will 
become  pure.  By  thus  holding  the  thought 
on  purity,  if  only  for  three  or  four  minutes, 


Meditation  25 


we  shall  be  like  different  beings ;  we  shall 
be  so  filled  with  peace,  power  and  light. 

In  order  to  do  this,  however,  we  must 
bring  our  mind  into  perfect  harmony  with 
our  Ideal.  If  we  begin  to  think  of  purity 
and  then  unkind  thoughts  against  some- 
one rise,  we  cannot  hold  the  thought  of 
purity.  We  may  have  the  most  beautiful 
flowers,  we  may  have  incense,  we  may 
have  holy  pictures ;  but  until  our  mind  is 
pure,  that  is,  until  it  is  one-pointed  and 
fixed  on  the  Ideal,  we  shall  never  know 
holiness.  When  our  mind  rests  firmly  in 
love,  holiness  and  purity,  nothing  can 
overwhelm  us.  Any  outside  condition 
can  be  overcome  through  the  power  of 
concentration,  because  the  mind,  when 
focused,  becomes  strong  and  is  able  to  shut 
out  whatever  disturbs  it.  The  scattered 
mind  is  like  a  single  thread,  it  can  be 
broken  easily;  but  the  concentrated 
mind  is  like  many  pieces  of  thread  twisted 
together  and  difficult  to  break.  Therefore 


26      Concentration  and  Meditation 

we  must  govern  all  our  thoughts  and  hold 
our  mind  steadily  on  the  object  of  our  con- 
centration. When  we  can  make  our  mind 
absolutely  harmonious  with  our  Ideal, 
then  alone  we  are  peaceful;  for  all  un- 
happiness  comes  from  friction  or  duality. 
If  the  mind  is  concentrated,  we  do  not 
hear  sounds,  we  do  not  see  anything ;  all 
our  senses  are  in  abeyance.  External 
sounds,  external  vision,  all  external  sense 
perceptions,  therefore,  can  be  overcome  by 
concentration;  and  intensity  of  concen- 
tration leads  to  meditation.  Meditation, 
however,  is  not  an  easy  thing.  It  means 
feeling  the  presence  of  God  within.  The 
highest  form  of  meditation  is  not  think- 
ing of  any  external  object.  This  means 
fixing  the  mind  on  the  Real,  the  Un- 
changeable. An  artist's  mind  is  fixed  on 
some  object  in  nature  and  he  succeeds  in 
painting  a  beautiful  picture.  But  this  is 
changeable.  If,  however,  he  carries  his 
thought  on  to  the  idea  of  beauty  beyond 


Meditation  27 

the  object,  then  he  may  attain  meditation. 
At  first  we  may  have  to  picture  some  ob- 
ject in  our  mind,  but  if  we  go  on  to  the 
reality  behind  it,  our  mind  becomes  one- 
pointed  and  we  perceive  the  Truth. 

Ordinarily  we  can  only  see  a  person  who 
is  near;  we  cannot  see  one  who  is  far. 
Meditation  is  the  power  which  enables  us 
to  see  and  draw  near  to  a  person  thou- 
sands of  miles  away.  Sometimes  this 
meditation  comes  in  sleep.  Again  we 
may  have  a  pure  vision  and  by  meditating 
on  that  we  may  acquire  wisdom.  Wis- 
dom means  steadiness,  balance.  When 
the  mind  is  balanced,  then  we  have  clear 
vision.  So  we  must  make  our  minds 
steady.  When  a  man  gains  a  steady 
mind,  he  can  penetrate  any  veil,  external 
or  internal,  as  light  penetrates  darkness. 
Lack  of  concentration  creates  a  veil  and 
our  vision  is  clouded ;  but  the  moment  we 
concentrate  our  mind,  we  pierce  through 
the  veil  and  at  once  see  clearly.  Through 


28      Concentration  and  Meditation 

concentration  we  develop  extraordinary 
sense  perceptions.  We  sense  things  which 
other  people  cannot.  If  some  one  holds 
unkind  thoughts,  we  perceive  it;  and  if 
any  one  holds  a  loving  thought,  we  feel 
that  at  once  also.  But  this  does  not 
mean  that  we  suffer  more.  We  dwell 
closer  to  God  and  can  feel  more  keenly 
what  others  feel ;  also  we  can  sympathize 
better.  Only  that  one  really  surfers  who 
lives  in  ignorance  and  selfishness. 

Another  way  of  reaching  the  supercon- 
scious  state  is  by  meditating  on  the  heart 
of  one  who  is  holy  and  pure — an  effulgent 
being.  This  may  be  inside  or  outside. 
We  see  this  in  the  case  of  St.  Francis  of 
Assisi,  who  as  the  result  of  his  constant 
meditation  on  Christ  is  said  to  have  re- 
ceived the  marks  of  the  stigmata.  In 
India  there  are  hundreds  of  such  examples 
where  the  disciple,  by  meditating  on  the 
Master  who  has  become  one  with  God, 
also  becomes  one  with  God.  From  this 


Meditation  29 


has  come  the  idea  of  being  freed  from  all 
sins  and  sorrows  by  holding  the  thought 
on  a  Saviour  or  a  holy  character ;  because, 
Patanjali  says  in  his  Yoga  teaching,  what- 
ever our  mind  dwells  upon,  we  become 
joined  to  that.  Our  thought  forms  a 
point  of  connection  between  us  and  the  ob- 
ject thought  of.  Hence  as  our  mind 
dwells  on  holy  things,  we  become  holy. 
So  strong  is  this  power  of  thought  to 
change  the  character  that  Sri  Krishna  de- 
clares in  the  Bhagavad-Gita :  "Even  if 
the  most  wicked  worshippeth  Me  with  un- 
divided devotion,  he  should  be  regarded 
as  good,  for  he  is  rightly  resolved.  Very 
soon  doth  he  become  a  righteous  soul  and 
attaineth  to  eternal  peace." 

As  with  good,  so  with  evil.  If  evil 
enters  our  mind,  it  is  because  we  have  at- 
tracted it  by  our  thought.  Whenever  we 
think  of  evil,  we  unite  ourselves  with  it. 
So  we  must  be  careful  what  we  fix  our 
thought  upon.  The  mind  is  always 


30      Concentration  and  Meditation 

concentrated  on  something.  It  is  con- 
stantly active  and  so  is  the  body.  If, 
therefore,  we  wish  to  take  care  for  our 
welfare,  we  must  observe  on  what  our 
mind  dwells.  The  saint  is  always  watch- 
ful. He  does  not  let  his  mind  run  away. 
He  never  lets  go  of  it  or  allows  it  to  be  dis- 
turbed by  any  condition  of  life.  As  a  lov- 
ing wife  keeps  her  thought  fixed  on  her 
absent  husband  and  thus  unites  herself 
with  him ;  so  if  we  keep  our  thought  fixed 
on  the  Lord,  we  shall  become  united  with 
Him. 

We  must,  however,  have  sincerity  of 
purpose.  We  must  not  merely  seek  a 
comfortable  road  to  Truth.  We  must 
strive  to  cultivate  staunchness  of  feeling 
and  an  ardent  devoted  spirit.  Devotion 
gives  us  steadfastness  in  resolution.  If 
we  are  interested  in  one  thing  to-day, 
another  to-morrow,  we  shall  never  attain 
concentration.  We  shall  only  fritter  away 
our  energies.  First  we  must  take  an 


Meditation  3 1 


Ideal.  Then  we  must  think  of  it,  become 
absorbed  in  it,  lose  ourselves  in  it.  There 
must  be  nothing  in  our  mind  except  our 
Ideal.  When  we  have  pure  devotion  for 
the  one  Ideal,  that  is  concentration. 
When  the  mind  through  such  devotion  is 
properly  collected,  its  power  becomes  tre- 
mendous and  it  carries  us  quickly  to  the 
realization  of  Truth. 

Real  faith  and  devotion  to  our  Ideal  will 
come  when  we  have  attained  a  certain 
amount  of  perception.  To  gain  it  we 
must  first  pay  attention  to  external  obser- 
vances and  practices ;  next  we  must  make 
the  mind  introspective;  then  concentra- 
tion and  meditation  will  follow.  In 
Samadhi,  the  state  of  perfect  peace  and 
bliss,  the  body  is  controlled  by  the  mind 
and  the  mind  is  controlled  by  the  Self. 
This  consciousness  of  ours  is  only  a  reflex 
of  the  universal  consciousness  and  as  we 
learn  more  and  more  to  make  ourselves 
open  to  its  light  we  gain  greater  and 


32      Concentration  and  Meditation 

greater  illumination.  This  is  a  privilege 
which  belongs  to  all.  But  we  can  hasten 
it  by  responding  to  the  call  of  the  Spirit 
and  obtain  it  very  much  sooner.  This  in- 
herent light  of  the  Spirit  may  at  times  seem 
dim  and  indistinct.  Sometimes  our  mind 
with  its  cloud  of  worry  and  anxieties  may 
hide  its  brightness,  but  in  spite  of  all  ad- 
verse vicissitudes  this  divine,  unfailing 
spark  in  us  ever  comes  to  our  rescue  for  it 
is  self-existent  and  self-effulgent.  The 
Soul  is  omnipotent.  It  may  remain  under 
a  cloud  for  a  time,  but  in  the  end  it  is 
bound  to  reach  the  highest  state  of  spir- 
itual effulgence. 


III. 

AIDS  TO  MEDITATION 

EFORE  we  can  take  up  any  spiritual 
practice  the  mind  must  become  well 
established  in  the  fundamental  ethical 
principles,  such  as  non-injuring,  non- 
stealing,  truthfulness,  continence,  exter- 
nal and  internal  purity,  contentment, 
control  of  the  senses,  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  self-surrender.  This  means 
that  we  must  not  give  way  to  jealousy, 
anger,  hatred  or  unkindness  by  thought, 
word  or  action;  we  must  not  covet  or 
envy;  we  must  speak  the  truth  fearlessly; 
we  must  observe  chastity,  inner  and  outer 
cleanliness  and  self-restraint;  and  we 
must  be  faithful  in  our  higher  study  and 
in  devotion  to  our  Ideal.  Until  these 
are  firmly  fixed  in  the  heart,  no  amount 
of  outer  practice  can  help  us;  for  the 
foundation  must  be  right  before  we  can 


34      Concentration  and  Meditation 

construct  a  solid  building,  and  the  build- 
ing of  our  character  or  spiritual  structure 
can  never  be  solid  unless  we  are  well 
grounded  in  these  moral  qualities.  They 
are  also  essential  to  tranquillity  of  mind, 
for  unless  we  can  look  within  and  find  our- 
selves above  reproach,  we  can  never  enjoy 
peace  or  serenity.  Christ  said  "If  thou 
bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there  re- 
memberest  that  thy  brother  hath  aught 
against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the 
altar  and  go  thy  way;  first  be  reconciled 
to  thy  brother,  and  then  come  and  offer 
thy  gift."  If  we  have  anything  in  our  life 
that  is  not  in  accordance  with  our  spir- 
itual principles,  no  amount  of  sitting  still 
and  trying  to  meditate  will  bring  us  the 
blessing  of  contemplation. 

The  next  step  is  the  practice  of  posture ; 
that  is,  one  must  learn  to  sit  properly. 
You  may  ask:  "What  can  that  have  to 
do  with  our  spiritual  progress?"  We 
imagine  that  we  can  sit  in  any  way  we 


Aids  to  Meditation  35 

wish,  but  that  is  not  true.  Unless  the 
mind  is  balanced,  we  cannot  sit  still  even 
for  a  few  seconds ;  also  if  our  body  is  not 
in  a  good  condition,  the  mind  cannot  help 
thinking  of  it  and  it  is  difficult  for  it  to 
gain  absolute  tranquillity.  The  idea  of 
posture,  therefore,  is  to  acquire  firmness 
of  both  mind  and  body.  We  learn  to  sit 
in  a  manner  in  which  we  are  as  little  con- 
scious as  possible  of  our  physical  exist- 
ence ;  thus  our  mind  is  not  dragged  down 
by  the  weight  of  the  body  and  it  more  eas- 
ily grows  calm.  One  who  has  not  proper 
control  over  his  body  cannot  make  proper 
use  of  his  mind,  he  can  never  concentrate 
— much  less  can  he  meditate.  A  man 
who  lacks  mastery  over  the  physical  or- 
ganism cannot  possibly  gain  spiritual 
consciousness ;  hence  the  need  to  practise 
posture. 

In  the  beginning  we  may  have  to  force 
the  body  to  be  still.  We  do  this  by  mak- 
ing up  our  mind  that  for  a  stated  time  we 


36      Concentration  and  Meditatidn 

shall  hold  our  body  in  a  certain  position 
with  balance  and  stability.  By  doing  this 
from  day  to  day  we  overcome  physical 
restlessness  as  well  as  physical  lethargy. 
How  often  we  feel  overpowered  by  our 
bodily  conditions,  the  body  does  not  want 
to  do  a  thing  and  at  once  we  yield.  Per- 
haps it  does  not  feel  well  and  so  we  sacri- 
fice our  spiritual  study.  This  means  that 
the  body  is  proving  its  supremacy  over  the 
mind,  which  should  never  be.  The  prac- 
tice of  posture  will  help  us  to  gain  control 
of  the  body,  so  that  it  will  not  interfere 
with  our  mind  and  we  can  become  less  con- 
scious of  our  physical  and  more  conscious 
of  our  spiritual  nature.  The  chief  sugges- 
tion with  regard  to  posture  is  to  hold  the 
spinal  column  in  an  easy,  erect  position, 
for  we  find  that  most  of  the  conditions  of 
ill-health  arise  from  disorders  in  the  spinal 
column.  The  position  of  the  spine  has 
much  to  do  with  the  breath  and  with  the 
flow  of  life-force.  Unless  it  is  properly 


Aids  to  Meditation  37 

held,  neither  the  breathing  nor  the  circu- 
lation of  the  nerve  currents  can  be  normal. 
There  are  people  who  are  not  used  to 
sitting  straight  and  at  first  it  will  be  very 
difficult  for  them ;  but  after  a  little  effort 
it  will  become  easy  and  natural  and  then 
the  mind  will  have  greater  freedom  to 
think.  When  we  have  learned  to  hold 
ourselves  in  an  erect,  easy,  natural  way, 
the  mind  will  be  able  to  go  upward.  As 
long  as  the  body  keeps  moving  we  cannot 
focus  and  elevate  our  thought.  We  know 
that  a  telescope  needs  to  be  steady  before 
we  can  focus  the  lens  and  observe  the 
stars  or  planets;  similarly  these  instru- 
ments of  body  and  mind  must  be  steady 
before  we  can  have  clear  inner  vision. 
Asana  or  posture  means  a  steadfast  feel- 
ing. We  feel  no  wavering  anywhere,  our 
body  is  well  established,  our  mind  is  well 
established,  neither  disturbs  our  balance 
and  thus  we  acquire  a  state  of  perfect 
equilibrium. 


38      Concentration  and  Meditation 

Breath  is  the  next  thing  to  be  consid- 
ered. "What  can  breath  have  to  do  with 
our  spiritual  development?"  you  may  ask 
again.  Breath  is  life.  It  is  the  medium 
through  which  the  life  current  flows  into 
us,  permeating  our  whole  being  and  sus- 
taining us.  We  know  that  a  person  has 
ceased  to  live,  that  the  life  current  is  no 
longer  working  in  him  when  he  has  lost 
the  power  to  breathe,  and  we  say  that  "he 
has  breathed  his  last."  Now  we  breathe 
automatically,  involuntarily,  unconscious- 
ly ;  we  must  learn  to  breathe  consciously, 
properly  and  rhythmically.  Through 
breath  alone  we  can  create  such  a  rhythm 
within  the  body  that  it  will  restore  health. 
Pranayama  means  controlling  the  life- 
force  by  controlling  the  breath.  When 
we  understand  how  to  do  this,  we  can  fill 
ourselves  with  Prana  or  life-force  and 
eliminate  all  impurities. 

We  all  breathe,  but  we  do  not  derive  the 
proper  benefit  from  our  breathing.  This 


Aids  to  Meditation  39 

is  because  we  do  not  consciously  regulate 
our  breath.  Breath  is  controlled  by 
thought.  If  we  observe,  we  shall  see  that 
whenever  our  mind  is  very  restless,  our 
breathing  becomes  irregular.  Also  when 
the  body  is  ill,  the  breath  becomes  dis- 
ordered. It  is  because  we  have  lost  the 
rhythm,  everything  is  thrown  out  of  bal- 
ance and  the  result  is  a  disturbance  in  both 
our  physical  and  mental  health.  To  avoid 
this,  the  Yogis  tell  us  to  cultivate  the 
habit  of  rhythmic  breathing  and  this  will 
enable  us  to  store  up  the  vital  energy  we 
have  within  us.  When  our  inhaling  and 
exhaling  become  even,  it  affects  us  just 
like  a  musical  rhythm,  creating  harmony 
throughout  our  system. 

After  these  preparatory  steps,  the  next 
is  to  make  the  mind  introspective.  It  is 
all  very  well  to  have  some  one  tell  us  to 
look  within,  that  only  there  shall  we 
realize  the  Truth;  but  how  to  go  within? 
We  cannot  do  it  suddenly,  because  of  the 


40      Concentration  and  Meditation 

hold  the  body  has  over  us.  Our  mind  also 
is  divided  and  claimed  by  many  things. 
To  detach  ourselves  from  our  bodily  con- 
ditions and  make  our  mind  one-pointed 
requires  steady  effort.  Sometimes  we 
grow  discouraged  and  want  to  give  up; 
but  those  are  the  moments  when  we  must 
hold  firmly  and  not  let  our  spirit  be  de- 
pressed or  allow  ourselves  to  fall  back. 
Arjuna  says  to  Sri  Krishna  in  the 
Bhagavad-Gita:  Do  not  be  depressed; 
even  this  mind  which  seems  so  unyielding 
and  difficult  to  subdue,  will  become  your 
obedient  servant  through  constant  prac- 
tice of  dispassion  and  discrimination. 

Intensity  of  purpose  is  what  brings  con- 
centration. When  we  really  feel  devoted 
to  an  Ideal,  then  nothing  can  hold  us 
back;  we  shall  surmount  every  difficulty. 
At  first  we  may  have  to  make  a  great 
effort,  but  if  we  really  yearn  for  spiritual 
things,  our  mind  will  naturally  become 
single.  Singleness  is  what  we  want.  The 


Aids  to  Meditation  41 

ideal  of  Yoga  and  of  all  philosophy  and 
religion  is  to  make  the  mind  single,  the 
heart  single,  the  purpose  single;  for  all 
sages  and  seers  recognize  that  in  this 
singleness  lies  the  whole  secret  of  realiza- 
tion. Christ  says  that  the  eye  and  heart 
must  be  single  before  we  can  see  God  or 
Truth. 

Holding  the  mind  to  one  point  means 
controlling  all  the  waves  or  modifications 
which  rise  on  its  surface.  You  know  that 
in  order  to  put  a  thread  through  the  eye 
of  a  needle,  you  have  to  twist  the  thread 
to  a  point;  if  you  do  not,  it  is  a  difficult 
task  to  put  it  through.  Similarly  the  mind, 
which  has  become  divided  through  its 
varied  interests,  must  be  made  single  be- 
fore it  can  penetrate  into  the  depths  of  our 
being.  This  does  not  necessarily  mean 
that  we  cannot  take  interest  in  other 
things,  that  we  must  give  up  everything; 
singleness  means  that  we  are  able  to  put 
our  whole  force  into  whatever  we  under- 


42      Concentration  and  Meditation 

take,  and  through  this  concentrated 
energy  we  see  more  clearly  and  accomplish 
things  more  quickly.  Concentrating  our 
mind  on  ordinary  external  objects,  how- 
ever, gives  us  only  limited  results;  but 
when  we  can  direct  our  thought  on  inner 
spiritual  objects: — on  infinite  strength, 
infinite  wisdom,  infinite  love  or  purity ;  on 
the  effulgent  flame  of  life  seated  in  the 
heart ;  on  anything  through  which  the  cur- 
rent of  divine  life  is  running;  we  find 
that  our  mind  becomes  quickened  and  all 
its  latent  qualities  are  awakened.  The 
mind  takes  the  color  of  whatever  it  dwells 
upon,  and  by  bringing  it  in  contact  with 
spiritual  things  it  becomes  purified  and 
strengthened. 

We  must  not  think  that  the  aim  of  these 
spiritual  practices  is  to  gain  a  little  bit  of 
physical  health  or  a  little  bit  of  mental 
power;  their  main  object  is  to  free  the 
soul.  Freedom  means  completeness,  no 
lack  anywhere — no  lack  of  knowledge,  no 


Aids  to  Meditation  43 

lack  of  power,  no  lack  of  anything.  Be- 
fore we  can  realize  this  and  release  the 
soul  from  bondage,  we  must  go  through 
certain  practices  in  order  to  form  fixed 
spiritual  habits  and  entirely  wipe  out  past 
impressions.  We  have  to  choose  the 
Ideal  upon  which  to  concentrate  accord- 
ing to  our  own  individual  need  or  inclina- 
tion. One  cannot  go  contrary  to  one's 
natural  spiritual  instinct.  Whether  we 
recognize  it  or  not,  we  have  within  our- 
selves a  spiritual  instinct  just  as  we  have 
a  physical  instinct,  and  this  spiritual  in- 
stinct must  be  our  guide  in  choosing  our 
Ideal.  Having  chosen,  we  must  follow 
this  Ideal  in  spite  of  failures,  in  spite  of 
obstructions  in  the  way;  day  by  day  we 
must  hold  it  before  us ;  and  if  we  forget  it, 
we  must  bring  our  mind  back  to  it.  In 
this  way  the  mind  grows  unwavering  and 
one-pointed,  we  can  easily  follow  a  thought 
without  interruption  and  meditation  be- 
comes possible. 


44      Concentration  and  Meditation 

No  one  else  can  give  us  an  adequate 
idea  of  what  meditation  is,  of  the  value  or 
the  ecstasy  of  it ;  we  can  never  know  until 
we  ourselves  taste  it.  Then  only  does  the 
soul  become  wakeful,  become  itself,  enter 
into  its  own  element.  Why  is  it  we  suf- 
fer? Because  we  come  in  contact  with  so 
many  things  that  are  not  in  harmony  with 
our  real  nature.  Meditation  eliminates 
all  such  foreign  elements  from  our 
thoughts.  But  this  practice  of  exclusion 
is  not  to  make  us  more  narrow  and  bound, 
it  is  to  help  us  collect  our  forces.  Where- 
ever  we  have  an  unusual  task  we  always 
try  to  store  up  our  energies  and  have  a  re- 
serve to  call  upon.  So  before  we  under- 
take the  practice  of  meditation,  we  must 
have  so  collected  and  stored  our  forces 
that  we  shall  not  be  wanting  in  strength, 
either  physically  or  mentally. 

Often  people  fail  to  realize  a  desired  end 
because  of  the  lack  of  collectedness  in 
body  and  mind.  So  Patanjali,  the  great 


Aids  to  Meditation  45 

teacher  of  Yoga,  tells  us  that  we  must  pro- 
tect ourselves  from  the  very  outset.  If 
we  neglect  to  make  the  foundation  strong, 
the  superstructure  cannot  be  satisfactory. 
Many  people  do  not  gain  spiritual  vision 
because  they  have  not  paid  proper  atten- 
tion to  the  preliminary  stages.  When  we 
are  well  established  in  our  first  practices, 
then  the  other  things  will  come  naturally. 
The  higher  study  not  only  deals  with  the 
spiritual  nature,  it  also  deals  with  our 
human  nature.  We  must  discipline  and 
gain  mastery  over  the  whole  of  our  being. 
But  we  must  do  everything  gradually. 
This  is  one  of  the  great  things  we  must 
bear  in  mind.  We  must  not  be  impatient 
and  overdo.  What  we  need  in  all  prac- 
tice is  moderation;  then  we  shall  go 
steadily  forward,  doing  each  day  a  little 
more  according  to  our  capacity.  We 
must  not  put  too  much  pressure  either  on 
our  body  or  our  mind ;  but  if  we  are  pa- 
tient and  persevering,  soon  we  shall  find 


46      Concentration  and  Meditation 

that  things  which  seemed  impossible  to 
conquer  have  been  conquered. 

This  life  is  not  a  matter  of  a  few  sec- 
onds. It  did  not  spring  from  just  this 
little  beginning;  it  has  had  a  past  and  it 
will  have  a  future,  so  there  is  no  need  for 
undue  hurry.  If  we  have  imperfections, 
we  can  overcome  them;  and  whatever 
virtues  we  possess,  we  did  something  to 
earn  them  and  we  can  earn  more.  Under- 
standing this,  we  should  strive  to  take  up 
these  practices  and  carry  them  on  with 
perseverance  and  an  undepressed  heart; 
then  we  shall  gradually  overcome  all 
obstacles. 

One  little  glimpse  of  higher  things,  one 
little  proof  will  strengthen  our  faith  on  our 
journey.  First  we  hear  about  a  thing; 
then  we  reflect;  and  after  thinking  and 
reasoning,  a  flash  of  light  comes  and 
proves  to  us  that  what  we  heard  is  true. 
Just  one  little  flash  is  enough  to  give  us 
confidence  to  go  on;  then  comes  another 


Aids  to  Meditation  47 

and  then  another,  until  at  last  the  whole 
Truth  shines.  At  first  it  comes  only  once 
in  a  while.  One  day  perhaps  we  feel  great 
serenity,  a  great  sense  of  illumination, 
then  it  disappears.  Again  we  persevere 
and  again  it  comes  and  remains  a  little 
longer.  So  we  go  on  until  some  day  it 
comes  and  stays  with  us.  But  this  is  only 
possible  through  constant  meditation. 
To  make  it  a  permanent  factor  in  our  life 
we  must  practise  steadily. 

We  cannot  gain  any  vital  end  without 
supreme  effort.  This  supreme  effort  we 
must  make  within  ourselves,  and  we 
must  persevere  until  the  meditative  life 
has  become  perfectly  natural  to  us.  This 
means  creating  a  new  habit.  We  have 
formed  certain  physical  habits  and  it  is  not 
difficult  for  us  to  follow  these;  but  we 
have  not  formed  a  habit  of  meditation; 
therefore  it  seems  unnatural  and  difficult 
and  we  often  grow  discouraged.  Let  us 
form  the  habit  of  faithful  practice.  In- 


48      Concentration  and  Meditation 

stead  of  dwelling  on  petty  things  and  de- 
voting our  energy  to  small  personal  aims, 
we  must  hold  our  mind  on  larger  ends. 
As  we  release  it  from  the  bondage  of  selfish 
concerns  and  fix  it  on  noble  worshipful 
thoughts,  we  shall  find  that  it  will  become 
more  and  more  independent  and  free.  At 
first  it  may  not  feel  at  home  in  the  spiritual 
realm ;  but  very  soon  it  will  begin  to  feel 
at  home  there;  then  no  matter  how  it 
may  be  engaged,  always  like  the  needle  of 
a  compass  it  will  keep  itself  pointed 
towards  the  Ideal. 

Only  in  the  Infinite,  the  Unchanging, 
do  we  find  a  firm  basis  for  our  medita- 
tion. But  to  enter  into  relationship  with 
That  we  must  consecrate  ourselves.  We 
must  have  firmness  of  determination. 
We  must  seek  and  pray  and  yearn  for  it. 
We  must  not  stop  until  our  mind  gains 
direct  contact  with  the  all-effulgent  Spirit. 
It  is  in  this  spiritual  union  that  the  soul 
attains  its  highest  illumination. 


IV. 

SUPERCONSCIOUS  VISION 

EEING  supernaturally  is  one  of  the 
great  dreams  of  all  mystics,  devotees 
and  seekers.  What  does  it  mean  to  see 
supernaturally?  Does  our  normal  vision 
become  abnormal  ?  Some  people  imagine 
that  this  is  the  case.  The  idea  of  medi- 
tation and  of  superconscious  vision  to  an 
average  person  seems  very  indefinite,  ab- 
stract and  wholly  alien  to  practical  every- 
day life.  But  there  can  be  nothing  of 
greater  practical  value  to  a  man  than  this 
deeper  sight.  What  is  the  basis  of  life? 
Can  one  succeed  by  clinging  to  the  point 
of  view  of  mere  physical  existence?  Those 
who  are  absorbed  in  the  material  believe 
that  the  habit  of  meditation  decreases  am- 
bition and  energy.  It  is  one  of  the  accu- 
sations made  against  those  who  take  up 
the  contemplative  life  that  they  lack 
ambition. 


50      Concentration  and  Meditation 

But  what  is  ambition?  Is  it  enough  to 
be  ambitious  to  acquire  wealth,  to  accum- 
ulate possessions,  to  gain  worldly  name 
and  power;  or  should  we  have  another 
kind  of  ambition?  Is  it  wrong  to  be  am- 
bitious spiritually?  One  who  is  ambi- 
tious for  spiritual  attainment  is  willing  to 
make  any  sacrifice  to  gain  it.  The  man 
who  has  not  this  point  of  view,  may  laugh 
at  the  one  who  thus  sacrifices  his  material 
advantage.  But  the  question  is,  which  is 
the  more  lasting  and  which  sheds  the 
greater  amount  of  light  on  our  path  and 
on  that  of  our  fellow-beings?  This 
should  be  the  basis  of  comparison. 
Whether  we  want  to  walk  in  the  darkness 
alone  or  whether  we  want  to  offer  up  all 
our  aspirations,  our  faculties,  our  will  and 
mind  to  God  and  walk  in  His  light; 
whether  we  want  to  follow  the  impulses  of 
our  body  or  to  gather  up  our  forces  and  let 
the  higher  principle  within  govern  us; 
these  are  questions  very  close  to  every 


Superconscious  Fisictn  51 

human  heart  and  the  answers  to  them 
come  only  from  within  through  medi- 
tation. 

Meditation  is  not  a  visionary  abstrac- 
tion. It  does  not  mean  that  we  sit  in  a 
corner  and  become  selfish  or  morbid  and 
indifferent  to  everything  else  in  life.  On 
the  contrary,  all  our  sympathies  are 
quickened,  our  perceptions  grow  keener, 
our  feelings  deepen  and  we  perform  our 
duties  with  greater  efficiency.  We  do  not 
lose  our  present  consciousness,  but  it  be- 
comes enlarged.  We  do  not  lose  any 
feeling  of  sympathy  or  love,  we  have  a 
more  abundant  supply.  It  is  not  death  to 
the  mortal  side  of  man  when  he  attains  a 
higher  state  of  consciousness.  It  does  not 
mean  the  extinction  of  his  present  self,  but 
the  quickening  of  a  larger  Self.  The 
lesser  light  is  swallowed  up  in  a  bigger 
light.  The  lesser  light  still  exists,  but  it 
is  merged  in  the  greater  glory  of  the 
larger  light. 


52      Concentration  and  Meditation 

As  long  as  we  are  guided  by  self-will 
and  swept  by  the  ordinary  impulses  of  life, 
we  never  find  happiness  or  rest.  It  is  the 
contemplative  man  who  is  full  of  joy  and 
peace.  He  is  not  carried  away  by  his 
lower  impulses.  He  exercises  perfect  con- 
trol over  all  his  faculties  and  powers,  and 
he  gains  this  control  through  meditation. 
Meditation  means  the  unbroken  flow  of 
the  thought  towards  some  object.  There 
are  people  who  meditate  on  material 
things  and  there  are  others  who  just  as 
naturally  hold  their  mind  fixed  on  the 
spiritual.  According  to  where  we  place 
our  thought  do  we  gain  the  result.  What- 
ever a  man  thinks,  that  he  becomes.  This 
is  the  law.  What  a  man's  mind  dwells 
upon,  according  to  that  his  life  and  char- 
acter are  moulded,  also  his  destiny. 

We  have  free  will  to  direct  our  mind 
either  in  one  way  or  another.  Constantly 
we  are  moulding  our  life  by  the  thoughts 
we  are  thinking.  We  can  avoid  all  evil 


Superconscious  Vision  53 

and  unclean,  detrimental  thoughts  if  we 
wish ;  but  more  often  we  do  not  wish  nor 
do  we  exert  ourselves.  Some  one  pro- 
vokes or  injures  us  and  that  person  will 
rise  in  our  mind  more  often  than  the  one 
who  has  given  us  spiritual  inspiration. 
The  mind  can  become  in  this  way  very 
treacherous.  Yet  it  is  not  the  fault  of  the 
mind.  It  is  the  fault  of  the  training  we 
give  to  it.  The  mind  has  the  power  of  re- 
tention; and  when  we  train  it  to  retain 
only  that  which  is  helpful  to  us  and  to  dis- 
card that  which  is  harmful,  we  advance 
quickly.  If  we  begin  to  hold  certain 
thoughts,  we  see  the  effect  immediately; 
also  whatever  we  allow  our  mind  to  asso- 
ciate with,  we  absorb  the  quality  of  that. 
If  we  come  in  contact  with  a  person  who 
is  dull,  heavy,  ignorant,  lethargic,  very 
soon  we  also  begin  to  feel  heavy  and  dull. 
In  the  same  way  when  we  come  in  contact 
with  one  who  is  inspiring,  radiant  and 
spiritual,  those  same  qualities  rise  up  in 
us. 


54      Concentration  and  Meditation 

Either  consciously  or  unconsciously 
tve  have  formed  our  present  habits  of  mind, 
and  to  build  a  new  set  of  habits  means  tre- 
mendous zeal  and  steadfast  effort.  By 
intelligent  reasoning  and  discrimination 
every  one  can  know  the  right  path  to  fol- 
low. There  is  a  right  instinct  in  us  all 
which  tells  us  what  to  do  and  what  to 
avoid;  but  very  few  of  us  have  the 
strength,  stability,  and  determination  to 
keep  that  right  path  constantly  before  the 
mind  and  follow  it.  Why  is  this?  Be- 
cause we  have  so  many  wrong  impressions 
in  the  mind.  We  have  to  create  a  new  set 
of  impressions  and  there  is  nothing  which 
can  help  us  do  this  so  quickly  as  the  prac- 
tice of  concentration  and  meditation.  In 
the  Vedanta  teaching  there  is  no  need 
whatsoever  for  any  one  to  be  despondent, 
believing  that  it  is  too  late  for  him  to  be- 
gin or  that  he  is  unfitted  for  spiritual 
striving.  It  matters  not  how  unfitted  we 
may  appear  to  be,  we  can  always  over- 


Super  cons  clous  Vision  55 

come.  The  key  is  in  our  own  hand.  We 
do  not  need  a  different  kind  of  mind  to 
follow  the  path  of  meditation  and  attain 
higher  consciousness.  It  is  the  same 
mind  which  creates  bondage  for  us  and 
which  liberates  us.  It  is  the  same  mind 
which  makes  us  happy  or  miserable.  The 
difference  lies  wholly  in  the  training  it  has 
received. 

We  all  have  moments  of  exaltation  and 
inspiration.  The  question  is  how  to  fol- 
low them  up.  No  surer  means  can  be 
found  than  the  practice  of  meditation. 
There  are  no  set  rules  for  meditation,  as 
there  are  no  set  rules  for  spiritual  evolu- 
tion in  any  form.  Various  suggestions 
are  offered  us  by  the  great  philosophies 
and  religions  of  the  world  and  we  must 
absorb  them  according  to  our  capacity. 
From  beginning  to  end  the  path  of  medi- 
tation teaches  us  that  it  is  not  the  letter 
which  saves  us ;  it  is  from  the  Spirit  with- 
in that  we  receive  the  revelation  and  it 


56      Concentration  and  Meditation 

comes  to  us  when  we  reach  the  supercon- 
scious  state.  As  we  practise  meditation, 
gradually  our  consciousness  extends.  In- 
stead of  centering  it  in  our  little  being  and 
relating  ourselves  through  it  to  one  little 
environment  or  group,  we  begin  to  feel  the 
pulse  of  the  universe.  The  heart  of  the 
universe  takes  possession  of  our  heart 
and  the  great  cosmic  life  begins  to  surge 
through  our  life. 

In  India  they  say  that  there  are  three 
different  states  of  consciousness — waking, 
dreaming  and  sound  sleep.  In  the  first, 
although  a  man  may  appear  to  be  awake 
and  may  seem  to  know  and  feel  and  do, 
yet  he  is  not  free  from  error.  In  the 
dream  state  between  sleep  and  waking  he 
is  still  not  free  from  error.  In  sound 
sleep  his  active  consciousness  is  dormant. 
But  there  is  a  fourth  state,  where  a  man 
does  not  make  any  mistakes,  where  he 
feels  and  knows  unerringly,  because  he  has 
come  so  close  to  the  heart  of  the  Infinite 


er  conscious  Visitin  57 


that  he  has  no  self-will  left  to  hinder  him. 
When  our  individual  consciousness  thus 
becomes  merged  in  the  universal  con- 
sciousness, we  do  not  lose  our  identity. 
Buddha  did  not  lose  anything  when  he 
attained  Nirvana.  He  dropped  the  lim- 
iting, finite  self  and  he  became  the 
Awakened  One.  This  awaking  of  the 
higher  consciousness  comes  to  us  when 
we  drop  the  bondage  of  our  lower  nature  ; 
but  we  have  to  strive  for  it,  and  we  can 
accomplish  it  only  through  persistent 
effort. 

Meditation  means  forming  the  habit  of 
unbroken  thought.  Whatever  we  think 
with  singleness  of  heart  becomes  medita- 
tion. The  power  to  meditate  is  a  wonder- 
ful gift,  but  it  cannot  come  suddenly.  If 
we  have  not  formed  the  habit  of  excluding 
all  non-essential  thoughts  and  distractions 
from  our  mind,  it  will  not  come  to  us  ;  it 
cannot.  Therefore  we  must  begin  to 
train  the  mind.  This  path  is  not  for  the 


58      Concentration  and  Meditation 

careless  person.  It  is  for  those  who  live 
every  moment  with  thoughtfulness  and 
with  vigilance.  We  can  all  acquire  this 
gift.  Without  it  life  is  very  empty. 
Accumulating  material  possessions  does 
not  fortify  our  happiness;  it  is  the  find- 
ing of  the  inward  light.  No  priest  or  min- 
ister, no  gospel  or  form  of  religion,  can 
open  the  door  for  us  to  that  unbounded 
source  of  spiritual  blessing.  We  our- 
selves must  open  it,  through  yearning  and 
well-directed  effort. 

The  spiritual  goal  cannot  be  attained 
through  material  means.  We  need  the 
hand  of  God  to  lead  us.  Our  steps  are 
faltering  without  His  guidance,  our  will 
is  frail,  our  mind  is  full  of  error;  but  if 
we  turn  our  thought  unfailingly  towards 
the  Divine,  our  nature  gradually  becomes 
transformed.  But  how  may  we  meditate 
on  God,  you  may  ask.  If  God  is  our 
Father  and  Mother,  if  He  is  the  one  from 
Whom  we  have  descended,  certainly  there 


Super  conscious  Vision  59 

cannot  be  any  closer  bond  than  that 
which  exists  between  God  and  ourselves. 
Why  then  should  there  be  any  reluctance 
or  any  hesitancy  on  our  part  to  go  direct- 
ly to  Him  and  ask  Him  how  we  shall 
meditate,  in  what  way  we  shall  call  upon 
Him?  The  great  Saviours  and  saints  tell 
us  that  we  must  be  born  again  as  little 
children,  if  we  would  enter  the  kingdom 
of  God.  As  the  little  child  goes  to  its 
mother,  in  the  same  way  we  must  be  will- 
ing to  go  to  the  great  Divine  Mother  as 
little  children  and  lay  all  our  troubles  at 
Her  feet.  It  is  the  self-conscious  person 
who  has  endless  troubles  and  distractions 
and  miseries.  The  selfless  person  has 
always  a  sense  of  serenity.  He  can 
meditate. 

We  may  not  have  the  same  power  in  the 
beginning,  but  we  all  possess  it  intrinsi- 
cally. There  is  not  one  who  is  not 
equipped  with  all  the  finest  possibilities; 
but  no  one  else  can  bring  them  out  for  us. 


60      Concentration  and  Meditation 

No  one  can  drink  for  us  and  quench  our 
thirst ;  no  one  can  eat  for  us  and  nourish 
our  body.  We  have  to  do  it  for  ourselves 
and  meditation  will  help.  The  contem- 
plative life  does  not  mean  that  we  go 
apart  and  lose  all  practical  usefulness,  or 
that  we  cease  to  contribute  our  share  to- 
wards the  good  of  humanity.  On  the 
contrary  we  pray  and  meditate  in  order 
that  we  may  have  greater  power,  greater 
ability,  greater  clearness  of  vision.  Then 
whatever  we  contribute  will  be  the  gift  of 
God.  That  is  what  the :  superconscious 
man  does.  He  does  nothing  with  self- 
conscious  feeling.  He  does  not  even 
write  a  sentence  thinking  that  he  is  doing 
it.  We  say  "Thy  will  be  done" ;  but  when 
it  comes  to  actual  practice,  we  use  our  own 
will.  There  is  no  contradiction  in  the  life 
of  the  superconscious  man. 

We  make  the  best  use  of  our  human  life 
by  putting  the  Divine  into  it.  The  hu- 
man life  by  itself  can  easily  become  barren 


Super  conscious  Vision  61 

and  burdensome.  If  we  feel  that  our  life 
is  full  of  darkness  and  despondency,  it  is 
because  we  have  not  given  access  to  the 
Divine.  We  have  not  brought  in  the 
divine  light  and  this  is  the  reason  why  it 
remains  in  darkness.  Why  not  bring  in 
that  light?  Why  not  open  that  gate  of 
our  heart?  Why  close  it  to  that  one 
thing  which  can  revive  us  ?  God  has  not 
created  man  with  two  hearts.  He  has  not 
given  him  a  divided  mind.  It  is  we  who 
divide  ourselves  through  our  complex  de- 
sires and  ambitions  and  our  self-will.  So 
long  as  we  are  weak,  our  understanding 
will  be  clouded  and  incorrect;  but  when 
all  our  forces  are  gathered  up  in  a  one- 
pointed,  aspiring,  contemplative  life,  we 
shall  begin  to  see  clearly.  Through  the 
practice  of  meditation  we  cannot  in  any 
way  lose  our  efficiency.  People  who  have 
developed  the  power  of  meditation  are  al- 
ways the  most  efficient.  Whatever  they 
do  is  invariably  well  done. 


62      Concentration  and  Meditation 

We  must  not  imagine  that  our  spiritual 
life  and  our  life  in  the  world  cannot  blend 
in  harmony.  If  they  do  not,  there  is 
something  wrong  in  us.  It  means  that 
our  inner  and  our  outer  life  are  not  coin- 
ciding, that  we  are  hypocrites.  We  think 
one  thing  and  do  another.  When  the 
inner  and  the  outer  blend,  when  our 
thoughts  and  our  acts  are  the  reproduc- 
tion of  one  and  the  same  ideal,  then  we 
may  know  that  we  are  living  in  accord 
with  the  Highest.  And  meditation  is  the 
chief  means  in  accomplishing  this.  It 
helps  us  to  direct  our  action.  Before  we 
do  anything  if  we  fortify  ourselves  by  the 
light  of  meditation,  we  are  not  apt  to  make 
mistakes  and  we  do  not  have  to  waste  any 
time  undoing  what  we  have  done.  When 
we  are  inspired  and  fortified  by  contact 
with  the  inner  Source  of  strength  and  wis- 
dom, we  cannot  go  very  far  wrong.  When 
we  have  made  God  the  foundation  of  our 


Superconscious  Visitin  63 

life,  then  whatever  we  construct  on  that 
foundation  will  be  enduring  and  will  bring 
lasting  happiness. 

Superconsciousness  is  clarified  vision. 
All  that  we  see  in  that  state  is  free  from 
error.  Also  it  is  inclusive.  Our  sight 
grows  more  comprehensive.  That  is  why 
those  who  have  this  wider  vision  become 
more  tolerant,  more  loving,  and  more  en- 
during. A  person  with  small  vision  sees 
only  from  one  angle  and  easily  grows 
irritable  and  angry;  but  when  the  heart 
has  become  a  part  of  the  universal  heart, 
it  is  never  impatient  or  unloving.  Peace 
and  happiness  come  through  understand- 
ing and  understanding  comes  through  the 
light  of  meditation. 


V. 

PRACTICAL  HINTS 

(a) 

FIXITY  OF  PURPOSE 

whose  joy  is  within,  whose  relaxa- 
tion  is  within,  and  whose  light  is 
within,  that  Yogi,  being  well-established 
in  Brahman  (the  Supreme),  attains  to 
absolute  freedom. — Bhagavad-Gita. 

As  the  champion  warrior  relies  for  vic- 
tory upon  his  armor's  strength,  so  right 
thought  is  like  a  strong  cuirass  able  to 
withstand  the  six  sense-robbers. 

If  a  man's  faith  is  unsteady,  if  he  does 
not  know  the  true  law,  if  his  peace  of  mind 
is  troubled,  his  knowledge  will  never  be 
perfect.  If  a  man's  thoughts  are  not  dis- 
sipated, if  his  mind  is  not  perplexed,  if  he 
has  ceased  to  think  of  good  or  evil,  then 
there  is  no  fear  for  him  while  he  is  watch- 
ful. Knowing  that  this  body  is  fragile 


Fixity  of  Purpose  65 

like  a  jar,  and  making  his  thought  firm 
like  a  fortress,  one  should  attack  Mara, 
the  tempter,  with  the  weapon  of  knowl- 
edge, one  should  watch  him  when  con- 
quered, and  should  never  rest. 

Whatever  a  hater  may  do  to  a  hater,  or 
an  enemy  to  an  enemy,  a  wrongly-directed 
mind  will  do  him  greater  mischief.  Not 
a  mother,  not  a  father,  will  do  so  much, 
nor  any  other  relatives;  a  well-directed 
mind  will  do  us  greater  service. — Buddha. 

In  studying  the  wisdom  of  the  sages  it 
is  imperative  to  have  one  definite  aim — 
that  of  becoming  a  true  man.  The 
Ancients  said  that  he  who  could  will,  could 
always  accomplish,  and  that  determina- 
tion was  half  the  battle.  Once  we  have  a 
definite  aim,  we  become  as  bowmen  with 
arrows  trained  on  the  target,  or  as  trav- 
ellers already  moving  towards  their 
destination.  In  formulating  our  aims, 
let  us  be  courageous  rather  than  timid, 
and  seek  the  truth  even  as  the  hungry  man 


66      Concentration  and  Meditation 

seeks  food,  the  thirsty  water,  allowing 
nothing  to  hinder  us  as  we  press  on  to- 
wards the  goal.  Chu  said:  "Unless  the 
aim  be  single,  it  cannot  succeed."  Then 
let  him  who  ventures  in  the  quest  for  true 
wisdom  be  single-minded,  with  the  con- 
centration of  a  setting  hen  or  of  a  cat 
watching  her  prey. — Kaibara  Ekken. 

(b) 

PRACTICE  OF  CONCENTRATION 

Concentration  is  the  source  of  strength 
in  politics,  in  war,  in  trade,  in  short  in  all 
the  management  of  human  affairs. 

— Emerson. 

As  a  fletcher  makes  straight  his  arrow, 
a  wise  man  makes  straight  his  trembling 
and  unsteady  thought,  which  is  difficult  to 
guard,  difficult  to  hold  back.  It  is  good 
to  tame  the  mind,  which  is  difficult  to  hold 
in  and  flighty,  rushing  wherever  it  listeth ; 
a  tamed  mind  brings  happiness.  Let  the 


Practice  of  Concentration          67 

wise  man  guard  his  thoughts,  for  they  are 
difficult  to  perceive,  very  artful,  and  they 
rush  wherever  they  list:  thoughts  well 
guarded  bring  happiness.  Those  who 
bridle  their  mind  which  travels  far,  moves 
about  alone,  is  without  a  body,  and  hides 
in  the  chamber  of  the  heart,  will  be  free 
from  the  bonds  of  Mara,  the  tempter. 

— Buddha. 

This  is  the  rule  for  achieving  concen- 
tration: restraint  of  the  breath,  restraint 
of  the  senses,  meditation,  fixed  attention, 
investigation,  absorption,  these  are  called 
the  sixfold  Yoga.  When  beholding  by 
this  Yoga,  he  beholds  the  gold-coloured 
maker,  the  lord,  the  person,  Brahman,  the 
cause,  then  the  sage,  leaving  behind  good 
and  evil,  makes  everything  (breath,  organs 
of  sense,  body,  &c.)  to  be  one  in  the  High- 
est Indestructible. 

— Maitrayana-Brahmana-Upanishad. 


68      Concentration  and  Meditation 

As  a  lamp  placed  in  a  windless  spot  does 
not  flicker,  the  same  simile  is  used  to  de- 
fine a  Yogi  of  subdued  mind,  practising 
union  with  the  Self.  In  that  state,  when 
the  mind  is  completely  subdued  by  the 
practice  of  Yoga  and  has  attained  serenity, 
in  that  state,  seeing  Self  by  the  self,  he  is 
satisfied  in  the  Self  alone.  In  that  state, 
transcending  the  senses,  he  (the  Yogi) 
feels  that  infinite  bliss  which  is  perceived 
by  the  purified  understanding;  knowing 
that  and  being  established  therein,  he 
never  falls  back  from  his  real  state  (of 
Self-knowledge)  ;  after  having  attained 
which,  no  other  gain  seems  greater ;  being 
established  wherein,  he  is  not  overwhelmed 
even  by  great  sorrow.  Know  that  (state) 
of  separation  from  the  contact  with  pain 
as  Yoga.  This  Yoga  should  be  practised 
with  perseverance  and  undepressed  heart. 

Abandoning  without  reserve  all  the  de- 
sires born  of  mental  fancies,  and  restrain- 
ing completely  by  the  mind  the  entire 


Practice  of  Concentration          69 

group  of  the  senses  from  all  directions, 
with  understanding  held  by  firmness,  and 
mind  established  in  the  Self,  let  him  (thus) 
by  degrees  attain  tranquillity ;  let  him  not 
think  of  anything  else.  Wheresoever  the 
restless  and  unsteady  mind  may  wander 
away,  let  him  withdraw  it  from  there  and 
bring  it  under  the  control  of  the  Self 
alone. 

A  Yogi  should  constantly  practise 
concentration  of  the  heart,  remaining  in 
seclusion  alone,  subduing  his  body  and 
mind  and  being  free  from  longing  and  pos- 
session (sense  of  ownership).  In  a  clean- 
ly spot  having  established  his  seat  firmly, 
neither  too  high  nor  too  low,  with  a  cloth, 
skin  and  Kusha  grass,  placed  one  on  the 
other;  being  seated  there,  making  the 
mind  one-pointed  and  subduing  the  activ- 
ities of  mind  and  senses,  let  him  practise 
Yoga  for  self-purification.  Let  him  hold 
his  body,  head  and  neck  erect  and 
motionless,  fixing  the  gaze  on  the  tip  of  his 


70      Concentration  and  Meditation 

nose,  not  looking  around.  Being  serene- 
hearted  and  fearless,  ever  steadfast  in  the 
vow  of  Brahmacharya  (continence)  and 
controlling  the  mind,  let  him  sit  steadfast- 
ly absorbed  in  thoughts  of  Me,  regarding 
Me  as  his  supreme  goal.  Thus  ever  keep- 
ing himself  steadfast,  the  Yogi  of  subdued 
mind  attains  eternal  peace  and  freedom, 
which  abide  in  Me. 

But,  O  Arjuna,  (the  practice  of)  Yoga 
is  not  for  him  who  eats  too  much  or  who 
does  not  eat  at  all,  nor  for  him  who  sleeps 
too  much  or  keeps  awake  (in  excess) .  He 
who  is  moderate  in  eating  and  recreation, 
moderate  in  his  efforts  in  work,  moderate 
in  sleep  and  wakefulness,  (his  practice  of) 
Yoga  becomes  the  destroyer  of  all  misery. 
When  the  mind,  completely  subdued, 
rests  in  Self  alone,  free  from  longing  for 
all  objects  of  desire,  then  he  is  said  to  be 
a  Yukta  (steadfast  in  Self-knowledge). 

— Bhagavad-Gita. 


Practice  df  Concentration          71 

At  that  time  (the  time  of  concentration) 
the  seer  (the  Purusha)  rests  in  his  own 
(unmodified)  state. 

At  other  times  (other  than  that  of  con- 
centration) the  seer  is  identified  with  the 
modifications  (of  his  mind) . 

The  concentration  called  right  knowl- 
edge is  that  which  is  followed  by  reason- 
ing, discrimination,  bliss,  unqualified  ego. 

There  is  another  concentration  which 
is  attained  by  the  constant  practice  of 
cessation  of  all  mental  activity,  in  which 
the  mind  retains  only  the  unmanifested 
impressions. 

For  the  extremely  energetic,  concentra- 
tion is  near. 

Disease,  mental  laziness,  doubt,  cessa- 
tion, false  perception,  non-attaining  con- 
centration, and  falling  away  from  the 
state  when  obtained,  are  the  obstructing 
distractions. 

Grief,  mental  distress,  tremor  of  the 
body,  irregular  breathing,  accompany 
non-retention  of  concentration. 


72      Concentration  and  Meditation 

To  remedy  this  the  practice  of  one  sub- 
ject should  be  made. 

— Patanjali  Yoga  Aphorisms. 


(c) 

METHODS  OF  MEDITATION 

Meditation  is  directed  to  the  highest 
Being  (Brahman)  within. 

As  a  fire  without  fuel  dies  down  on  the 
hearth,  thus  do  the  thoughts,  when  all 
activity  ceases,  become  quiet  in  their 
place. 

For  thoughts  alone  cause  the  round  of 
births;  let  a  man  strive  to  purify  his 
thoughts.  What  a  man  thinks,  that  he  is : 
this  is  the  old  secret. 

By  the  serenity  of  his  thoughts  a  man 
blots  out  all  actions,  whether  good  or  bad. 
Dwelling  within  his  Self  with  serene 
thoughts,  he  obtains  imperishable  happi- 
ness. 


Methods  of  Meditation  73 

If  the  thoughts  of  a  man  were  so  fixed 
on  Brahman  as  they  are  on  the  things  of 
this  world,  who  would  not  then  be  freed 
from  bondage? 

The  mind,  it  is  said,  is  of  two  kinds, 
pure  or  impure ;  impure  from  the  contact 
with  lust,  pure  when  free  from  lust. 

When  a  man,  having  freed  his  mind 
from  sloth,  distraction,  and  vacillation, 
becomes  as  it  were  delivered  from  his 
mind,  that  is  the  highest  point. 

The  mind  must  be  restrained  in  the 
heart  till  it  comes  to  an  end; — that  is 
knowledge,  that  is  liberty ;  all  the  rest  are 
extensions  of  the  ties  (which  bind  us  to 
this  life). 

That  happiness  which  belongs  to  a 
mind  which  by  deep  meditation  has  been 
washed  clean  from  all  impurity  and  has 
entered  within  the  Self,  cannot  be  de- 
scribed here  by  words;  it  can  be  felt 
by  the  inward  power  only. 


74      Concentration  and  Meditation 

Mind  alone  is  the  cause  of  bondage  and 
liberty  for  men ;  if  attached  to  the  world, 
it  becomes  bound ;  if  free  from  the  world, 
that  is  liberty. 

— Maitrayana-Brahmana-Upanishad. 

God  is  seen  when  the  mind  is  tranquil. 
When  the  mental  sea  is  agitated  by  the 
wind  of  desires,  it  cannot  reflect  God  and 
then  God-vision  is  impossible. 

— Sri  Ramakrishna. 

Nowhere  either  with  more  quiet  or  more 
freedom  from  trouble  does  a  man  retire 
than  into  his  own  soul,  particularly  when 
he  has  within  him  such  thoughts  that  by 
looking  into  them  he  is  immediately  in 
perfect  tranquillity;  and  I  affirm  that 
tranquillity  is  nothing  else  than  the  good 
ordering  of  the  mind  ....  Remember  to 
retire  into  this  little  territory  of  thy  own 
and  above  all  do  not  distract  or  restrain 
thyself,  but  be  free  ....  Things  do  not 
touch  the  soul,  for  they  are  external  and 


Methods  of  Meditation  75 

remain  immovable,  but  our  perturbations 
come  only  from  the  opinion  which  is 
within. — Marcus  Aurelius. 

Friendship,  mercy,  gladness,  indiffer- 
ence, being  thought  of  in  regard  to  sub- 
jects, happy,  unhappy,  good  and  evil  re- 
spectively, pacify  the  mind. 

By  throwing  out  and  restraining  the 
breath. 

Those  forms  of  concentration  that 
bring  extraordinary  sense  perceptions 
cause  perseverance  of  the  mind. 

Or  (by  the  meditation  on)  the  Efful- 
gent One  which  is  beyond  all  sorrow. 

Or  (by  meditation  on)  the  heart  that 
has  given  up  all  attachment  to  sense 
objects. 

Or  by  meditating  on  the  knowledge  that 
comes  in  sleep. 

Or  by  the  meditation  on  anything  that 
appeals  to  one  as  good. 

The  Yogi's  mind  thus  meditating,  be- 
comes unobstructed  from  the  atomic  to 
the  Infinite. 


76      Concentration  and  Meditation 

The  Yogi  whose  Frittis  (modifications) 
have  thus  become  powerless  (controlled) 
obtains  in  the  receiver,  receiving  and  re- 
ceived (the  self,  the  mind  and  external  ob- 
jects), concentratedness  and  sameness, 
like  the  crystal  (before  different  coloured 
objects). 

Dharana  (concentration)  is  holding 
the  mind  on  to  some  particular  object. 

An  unbroken  flow  of  knowledge  in  that 
object  is  Dhyana  (meditation). 

When  that,  giving  up  all  forms,  reflects 
only  the  meaning,  it  is  Samadhi. 

By  the  suppression  of  the  disturbed 
modifications  of  the  mind,  and  by  the  rise 
of  modifications  of  control,  the  mind  is 
said  to  attain  the  controlling  modifica- 
tions— following  the  controlling  powers  of 
the  mind. 

Its  flow  becomes  steady  by  habit. 

Taking  in  all  sorts  of  objects,  and  con- 
centrating upon  one  object,  these  two 
powers  being  destroyed  and  manifested 


Methods  of  Meditation  77 

respectively,  the  mind  gets  the  modifica- 
tion called  Samadhi  (illumination). 

— Patanjali  Yoga  Aphorisms. 

Now  what  most  contributes  to  the 
growth  of  these  wings  (of  the  soul)  is 
meditation,  by  which  we  learn  little  by 
little  to  wean  our  affections  from  earthly 
things,  and  to  get  a  habit  of  contemplat- 
ing the  things  that  are  immaterial  and  in- 
telligible, and  to  shake  off  the  pollutions 
it  has  contracted  by  its  union  with  the  ter- 
restrial and  mortal  body.  And,  indeed, 
by  these  advantages  it  revives  in  some 
manner,  it  rouses  up  itself,  it  is  filled  with 
divine  vigor  and  reunites  itself  to  the 
Intelligent  Perfection  within. — Hierocles. 

And  there  is,  further,  the  most  Divine 
Knowledge  of  Almighty  God,  which  is 
known,  through  not  knowing  (agnosia) 
during  the  union  above  mind;  when  the 
mind,  having  stood  apart  from  all  exist- 
ing things,  then  having  dismissed  also  it- 


78      Concentration  and  Meditation 

self,  has  been  made  one  with  the  super- 
luminous  rays,  thence  and  there  being 
illuminated  by  the  unsearchable  depth  of 
wisdom. — Dio'nysius  the  Areopagite. 

The  spirit  which  is  truly  sanctified 
attains  to  so  lofty  a  degree  that  all  which 
it  sees  is  real,  all  which  it  desires  is 
granted,  and  in  all  which  it  commands,  it 
is  obeyed. — Amcenna. 

Do  not  you  perceive  that  when  you  have 
let  your  mind  loose,  it  is  no  longer  in  your 
power  to  call  it  back,  either  to  propriety 
or  modesty  or  moderation?  .  .  .  For  this 
reason  philosophers  advise  us  not  to  be 
contented  with  mere  learning ;  but  to  add 
meditation  likewise,  and  then  practice  .  . 
Be  desirous  to  converse  in  purity  with 
your  own  pure  mind  and  with  God. 

— Epictetus. 

Fixing  the  mind  on  the  lotus  of  the 
heart,  or  on  the  centre  of  the  head,  is  what 


Methods  of  Meditation  79 

is  called  Dharana  (concentration).  When 
remaining  in  one  place,  making  one  place 
as  the  base,  when  the  waves  of  the  mind 
rise  up,  without  being  touched  by  other 
waves — when  all  other  waves  have 
stopped — and  one  wave  only  rises  in  the 
mind,  that  is  called  Dhyana  (meditation) . 
When  no  basis  is  necessary,  when  the 
whole  of  the  mind  has  become  one  wave, 
"one-formedness,"  it  is  called  Samadhi 
(superconsciousness) . 

Imagine  a  lotus  upon  the  top  of  the 
head,  several  inches  up,  and  virtue  as  its 
centre,  the  stalk  as  knowledge.  The 
eight  petals  of  the  lotus  are  the  eight 
powers  of  the  Yogi.  Inside,  the  stamens 
and  pistils  are  renunciation.  If  the  Yogi 
refuses  the  external  powers  he  will  come 
to  salvation.  So  the  eight  petals  of  the 
lotus  are  the  eight  powers,  but  the  internal 
stamens  and  pistils  are  the  extreme  re- 
nunciation, the  renunciation  of  all  these. 
Inside  of  that  lotus  think  of  the  Golden 


80      Concentration  and  Meditation 

One,  the  Almighty,  the  Intangible,  He 
whose  name  is  Om,  the  Inexpressible, 
surrounded  with  effulgent  light.  Medi- 
tate on  that. 

Think  of  a  space  in  your  heart,  and  in 
the  midst  of  that  space  think  that  a  flame 
is  burning.  Think  of  that  flame  as  your 
own  soul,  and  inside  that  flame  is  another 
space,  effulgent,  and  that  is  the  Soul  of 
your  soul,  God.  Meditate  upon  that  in 
the  heart. 

Chastity,  non-injuring,  pardoning 
every  one,  are  all  different  Frittis  (quali- 
ties of  mind).  Be  not  afraid  if  you  are 
not  perfect  in  all  of  these;  work,  and  the 
others  will  come.  He  who  has  given  up 
all  attachment,  all  fear  and  all  anger,  he 
whose  whole  soul  has  gone  unto  the  Lord, 
he  who  has  taken  refuge  in  the  Lord, 
whose  heart  has  become  purified,  with 
whatsoever  desire  he  comes  to  the  Lord 
He  will  grant  that  to  him. 

— Swami  Fivekananda. 


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